The invention relates to a profile connector for connecting two profile bars, each of which is made in particular from a light metal alloy, and each most particularly preferably having at least one undercut elongated groove. The profile bars themselves are not part of the profile connector, but they can be attached to each other at right angles to one another with the connector. The profile connector comprises a body preferably in the form of a cold extruded part, most particularly preferably made of steel, with a side preferably consisting of a comb bar and which when fitted faces towards the first profile bar, preferably a bearing side for bearing on a first profile bar, particularly on a face side of a first profile bar, wherein the body may be accommodated in an undercut elongated groove, particularly a T-groove, of a second profile bar. The body has at least one bracing leg for bracing against an undercut in the undercut elongated groove of the second profile bar (to enable a force in the direction of the first profile bar to be applied to the second profile bar). Inside the body, a through opening is provided that preferably has no internal thread and extends perpendicularly both to a longitudinal extension of the body and to the second elongated groove of the second profile bar, and in which an anchor bolt with a screw head is seated, with which the profile connector may be fixed on the first profile bar, in particular on the frontal face thereof, still more preferably in a centric internal threaded opening. It is particularly preferable if the screw head can be countersunk completely in the body. A first inner internal threaded opening, in which a first clamping screw, preferably in the form of a grub screw is fitted, extends inside the body at a slant, that is to say at an angle to a longitudinal centre line of the through opening. This is designed and arranged to displace the body along the anchor bolt away from the screw head, towards the first profile bar, by tightening the clamping screw in the internal thread, in other words by screwing the clamping screw towards the anchor bolt and at the same time bracing the clamping screw on the anchor bolt, which to this extent serves as a thrust bearing. The clamping screw is actuated from the outside through the groove opening of the undercut elongated groove of the second profile bar. The invention further relates to a profile assembly as described herein.
DE 41 27 284 C1 describes a profile connector for connecting two aluminium profile bars. The known profile connector comprises a body with two openings, a through opening for accommodating an anchor bolt for anchoring the profile connector in a first profile bar, and an internal threaded opening extending at an angle thereto, in which a grub screw can be screwed in the direction of the anchor bolt to apply load to and so displace the body, and therewith also a second profile bar that accommodates the body in an undercut elongated groove, towards the first profile bar. In the known profile connector, this pressing force is not applied evenly over the full area of the undercut elongated groove of the second profile connector, but rather along a bearing line, since the tightening of the clamp screw causes the body to be tilted relative to the anchor bolt. In order to ensure that the second profile bar can be pressed against the body which is held in place on the first profile bar, the anchor bolt of the known profile connector must not be tightened until it is immovable, because otherwise the undercuts of the undercut elongated groove of the second profile connector cannot be pushed between the bracing leg of the body and the face side of the first profile bar. In practice, if an anchor bolt is tightened too far, it is often necessary to loosen it before the second profile body is slid onto the body.
This problem is also the reason why there is no defined bearing or bracing area for the first clamping screw on the anchor bolt. It is also disadvantageous that, despite the non-positive connection between the first and second profile bars, it is still or remains possible for the profile bars to twist about the longitudinal centre line of the anchor bolt.
An alternative profile connector including two clamping screws as well as an anchor bolt is described in EP 1 141 562 B1, but in this case the clamping screws are aligned parallel to the anchor bolt and are braced on the body, not on the anchor bolt. The internal threaded openings for accommodating the clamping screws are not provided on the body, but in clamping shoes that that are separate from the body. This disadvantage of the known profile connector is the fact that it consists of many separate parts. Moreover, a problem this known profile connector is that the anchor bolt cannot be tightened until it is immovable, to enable the second profile bar to be pushed on.
A profile connector with a flat bracing surface is known from DE 196 41 500 A1. In this case too, a defined preassembly is not possible.
EP 1 141 562 B1 describes a profile connector with two clamping screws arranged parallel to and at a distance from the anchor bolt, wherein the known profile connector can be braced on a profile bar with flat bracing surfaces. Defined preassembly is not possible.
Document EP 2 717 870 A1 describes a profile connector comprising two clamping screws arranged biangularly, preferably perpendicularly to one another, wherein said clamping screws are braced against the anchor bolt. A defined pre-assembly of the profile connector frontally on a profile bar is not possible.